McDonald’s Looks for Alternatives to Plastic Straws

In coming weeks all McDonald’s locations in the UK and Ireland will replace plastic for paper straws. Along with this change, the corporation intend to test other alternatives to plastic in American locations.

McDonald’s and other fast-food chains are facing increasing pressure from environmental agencies. Plastic straws, in particular, affect marine life in an immensely negative way. The introduction of a biodegradable material could be a huge step towards better environmental health and protection.

According to NPR, A petition asking the fast food giant to stop using plastic straws has been signed by nearly 500,000 people. Observers estimate the McDonald’s uses about 1.8 million straws a day across the U.K.

BREAKING: @McDonalds just announced that it will phase out plastic straws in the UK and Ireland by 2019, and that it will trial alternatives to plastic straws in select restaurants in the U.S., France, Sweden, Norway and Australia later this year. >>> https://t.co/2IjYC4h9jm

Are you looking for digital journalism training and experience? Are you a journalism major who wants to take your career to the next level? CMN’s Digital Journalism course gives you real-time experience, intense feedback on your writing, exposure to journalism influencers and mentors, and a great place to display your work. You can get academic credit too. Check out the Digital Journalism Course here.

My name is Julia Howland. I am a double major in journalism and English at SUNY New Paltz. I also happen to own a Hedgehog, which I proudly named Dill Prickles. As one might guess I am quite the fan of puns and 90s Nick cartoons.